diff --git a/packages/app-cli/app/app.ts b/packages/app-cli/app/app.ts
index 8b3835bdc..8c345b519 100644
--- a/packages/app-cli/app/app.ts
+++ b/packages/app-cli/app/app.ts
@@ -408,6 +408,8 @@ class Application extends BaseApplication {
 
 		this.initRedux();
 
+		if (!shim.sharpEnabled()) this.logger().warn('Sharp is disabled - certain image-related features will not be available');
+
 		// If we have some arguments left at this point, it's a command
 		// so execute it.
 		if (argv.length) {
diff --git a/packages/app-cli/app/main.js b/packages/app-cli/app/main.js
index a1cc0b983..2b4f38d6f 100644
--- a/packages/app-cli/app/main.js
+++ b/packages/app-cli/app/main.js
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ const Setting = require('@joplin/lib/models/Setting').default;
 const Revision = require('@joplin/lib/models/Revision').default;
 const Logger = require('@joplin/utils/Logger').default;
 const FsDriverNode = require('@joplin/lib/fs-driver-node').default;
-const sharp = require('sharp');
 const { shimInit } = require('@joplin/lib/shim-init-node.js');
 const shim = require('@joplin/lib/shim').default;
 const { _ } = require('@joplin/lib/locale');
@@ -32,6 +31,14 @@ const envFromArgs = require('@joplin/lib/envFromArgs');
 const nodeSqlite = require('sqlite3');
 const initLib = require('@joplin/lib/initLib').default;
 
+let sharp = null;
+try {
+	sharp = require('sharp');
+} catch (error) {
+	// Don't print an error or it will pollute stdout every time the app is started. A warning will
+	// be printed in app.ts
+}
+
 const env = envFromArgs(process.argv);
 
 const fsDriver = new FsDriverNode();
diff --git a/packages/lib/shim-init-node.ts b/packages/lib/shim-init-node.ts
index 3e77dc276..2c0dec44a 100644
--- a/packages/lib/shim-init-node.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/shim-init-node.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import crypto from './services/e2ee/crypto';
 import FileApiDriverLocal from './file-api-driver-local';
 import * as mimeUtils from './mime-utils';
 import BaseItem from './models/BaseItem';
+import { Size } from '@joplin/utils/types';
 const { _ } = require('./locale');
 const http = require('http');
 const https = require('https');
@@ -146,6 +147,10 @@ function shimInit(options: ShimInitOptions = null) {
 		return shim.fsDriver_;
 	};
 
+	shim.sharpEnabled = () => {
+		return !!sharp;
+	};
+
 	shim.dgram = () => {
 		return dgram;
 	};
@@ -270,10 +275,17 @@ function shimInit(options: ShimInitOptions = null) {
 			return await saveOriginalImage();
 		} else {
 			// For the CLI tool
-			const image = sharp(filePath);
-			const md = await image.metadata();
 
-			if (md.width <= maxDim && md.height <= maxDim) {
+			let md: Size = null;
+			// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+			let image: any = null;
+
+			if (sharp) {
+				image = sharp(filePath);
+				md = await image.metadata();
+			}
+
+			if (!md || (md.width <= maxDim && md.height <= maxDim)) {
 				await shim.fsDriver().copy(filePath, targetPath);
 				return true;
 			}
diff --git a/packages/lib/shim.ts b/packages/lib/shim.ts
index b835674a9..68d690a4b 100644
--- a/packages/lib/shim.ts
+++ b/packages/lib/shim.ts
@@ -299,6 +299,10 @@ const shim = {
 		throw new Error('Not implemented: fsDriver');
 	},
 
+	sharpEnabled: (): boolean => {
+		return true;
+	},
+
 	FileApiDriverLocal: null as typeof FileApiDriverLocal,
 
 	// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any -- Old code before rule was applied